Post by JudyA on Feb 4, 2006 12:05:18 GMT -5
In a manic moment, I gave gift certificates for 50 nightcrawlers and for worm castings as door prizes at a Chamber of Commerce meeting. The recipients really seemed pleased.
I have sorted off the casting material and have it resting for hideout worms or new hatchlings to get a chance to show up in the next few days. I have picked out the BIG pieces of egg shell, window envelope plastic, paper or other foreign matter and the big pumpkin seeds that I could see.
Does one have to get all of the egg shells out? I like to have them in my plants.
What about hideout seeds? Again, I like to see the seeds sprout and prove viablility of the new earth, but some might not feel that way.
What about hideout bugs? Is it alright to heat this stuff up to get rid of some varmints? What temperature and time would do that without destroying the entire life of the castings?
Do I just enclose more information about all of this LIVE stuff being good for plants and soil? Encourage them to put it outside? I don't think I have a big problem with fungus knats. There are some bugs there, but I think they are holdout fruit flies. Would getting the castings good and dry get rid of these bugs?
I could hold out for delivery until May and have time to really let it dry, but I want it to stay fluffy. If I wait till later, it's more likely to be used on outdoor plantings.
The nightcrawlers will be sorted off and fed up so they are presentable. I do have some bigger ones, but lots of mediums and babies. I know they are crowded. I've been running a system similar to the offensive hog operations or puppy mills, without much individual attention to the worms.
ON ANOTHER NOTE: Last fall I had plans to give a demonstration to the garden club. I finally got together with them -- only three were in attendance. It was more difficult presenting to a small number. This is a young garden club and I was expecting the professional garden club with expert, elite and exclusive thinking that I had been more familar with. One lady was absolutely sickened and frightened by worms. She was as nice as she could be about it, but almost couldn't even look at my pictures without barfing. Needless to say, this dampened the presentation. In the end, they all took castings and some worms home with them.
I have sorted off the casting material and have it resting for hideout worms or new hatchlings to get a chance to show up in the next few days. I have picked out the BIG pieces of egg shell, window envelope plastic, paper or other foreign matter and the big pumpkin seeds that I could see.
Does one have to get all of the egg shells out? I like to have them in my plants.
What about hideout seeds? Again, I like to see the seeds sprout and prove viablility of the new earth, but some might not feel that way.
What about hideout bugs? Is it alright to heat this stuff up to get rid of some varmints? What temperature and time would do that without destroying the entire life of the castings?
Do I just enclose more information about all of this LIVE stuff being good for plants and soil? Encourage them to put it outside? I don't think I have a big problem with fungus knats. There are some bugs there, but I think they are holdout fruit flies. Would getting the castings good and dry get rid of these bugs?
I could hold out for delivery until May and have time to really let it dry, but I want it to stay fluffy. If I wait till later, it's more likely to be used on outdoor plantings.
The nightcrawlers will be sorted off and fed up so they are presentable. I do have some bigger ones, but lots of mediums and babies. I know they are crowded. I've been running a system similar to the offensive hog operations or puppy mills, without much individual attention to the worms.
ON ANOTHER NOTE: Last fall I had plans to give a demonstration to the garden club. I finally got together with them -- only three were in attendance. It was more difficult presenting to a small number. This is a young garden club and I was expecting the professional garden club with expert, elite and exclusive thinking that I had been more familar with. One lady was absolutely sickened and frightened by worms. She was as nice as she could be about it, but almost couldn't even look at my pictures without barfing. Needless to say, this dampened the presentation. In the end, they all took castings and some worms home with them.
